Heat Exchange: Flashpoint
by stardust2002
Summary: When a little girl's mother is found dead, Beckett struggles to find justice while fighting her own lingering feelings regarding her mother's murder. Set around "When the Bough Breaks". Beckett/Castle, full cast. Similar  to "Heat Wave".  COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**~ Heat Exchange: Flashpoint ~**

_Chapter One ~ _

_'Alternating currents in a type of surge, rational resistance to an unwise urge. Anything can happen'_

*** * * **

  "Dad, I'm home." Alexis swung her backpack down onto the floor with a grunt as she shut the door behind her.   "Hey sweetheart, you're home a little late, aren't you?" Castle hugged his daughter affectionately, popping a quick kiss down on the top of her head.  "I had to go to the library to pick up books on the solar system for my project." She frowned at her overflowing bag. "They're awfully heavy considering space is pretty much nothing but well, empty space."  "You know we do have this newfangled thing they call 'the internet' where you can look up information. It's like a whole universe right at your fingertips." He waggled his fingers.  Alexis gave him an exasperated look. "I know dad, but Mrs. Johnson told us we had to get our information the 'old-fashioned' way and that we weren't allowed to go online to look things up. She seems to think wikipedia isn't a reliable source of information."  Castle shrugged, eyebrows raising along with his shoulders. "Go figure." He put an arm around his daughter's waist and led her into the kitchen. "It's almost suppertime so whatever work you have to do tonight can wait. I've got the whole evening free and poring through reference books is one of my favourite pastimes."  "No dad, I've got a date with Shawn tonight, remember?"  "Shawn. Hmm, that's not the tall guy with the long, dark hair that desperately needs cutting, is it?"  She smiled. "It is. This is our fourth date. He's taking me to see Avatar."  Castle frowned. "Fourth date already? I think I might have a little problem with that."  "Why? I thought you liked him."  "I do, but a fourth date could mean trouble."  Alexis perched on a stool and leaned her arms on the counter, sniffing deeply of the delectable smells coming from the oven. "How so?"  "Well, a first date is sort of a 'testing the waters' thing to see if you can stand being together for a few hours. A second date is the 'getting to know you' time where you talk about yourselves and discover what you have in common. If you make it to a third date then you obviously have a fair bit in common and like being together, so to move to a fourth date means it's getting serious. I'm not sure if I like serious."  "Don't listen to him darling." Martha sailed down the stairs and into the room as if making a grand entrance onstage. "Let her live a little Richard," she added, turning to her son. "You can't keep a tight rein on her forever. I let you have your own life and didn't worry too much about what you were doing with whom when you were growing up."  "That's because you were too busy worrying about what _you _were doing and with whom."  She waved it aside. "I knew enough to let you grow up without interference."  "And look where that got me, a father at age twenty-two."  Martha slipped an arm around Alexis's shoulders. "With the most beautiful, smart and talented daughter in the world."  "Touche." He kissed both of their cheeks. "Still, I'd like to talk to you about ... " His cellphone rang, interrupting him mid-sentence. "Detective Beckett, how nice of you to call."   Grandmother and granddaughter looked at each other knowingly as the all-too familiar tension filled the room.  "Of course. I'll meet you there in fifteen." He hung up the phone. "You lovely ladies are going to have to enjoy supper without me. I'm needed elsewhere right now."  " 'Bye dad, have fun." Alexis kissed her father's cheek.  "It's a murder investigation. It's not supposed to be fun." But he couldn't hide the boyish grin that broke out at the thought of spending another night with Kate Beckett._ If only that were what it sounds like .._. He pushed the thought aside. "I want you to promise me you won't do anything with Shawn until we've had a chance to talk."  "Richard, don't be ... "  "Promise me?"  Alexis looked from one to the other. "Promise."  "Good." Castle breathed a sigh of relief. "You two have fun but not too much. And don't wait up. I don't expect to be back tonight."  *** * ***

Castle arrived at the crime scene with a spring in his step, exactly one minute later than the fifteen minutes he'd given himself. Beckett noticed.

"You're late," she said by way of greeting as he entered the apartment and walked up to join the group already assembled.

"I'm sorry Detective Beckett," he said, pulling an angelic schoolboy face. "It won't happen again, I promise."

"See that it doesn't."

Esposito snickered and Castle nodded, grinning at him and Ryan. "So what have we got?"

"Susan Armstrong. Caucasian woman estimated to be between thirty and forty years old, dead in the kitchen of her apartment ... "

"Blunt force trauma to the side of the head," Lanie filled in, rising from her position beside the corpse. She nodded. "Castle."

He smiled at her. "Always lovely to see you Dr. Parish."

"Likewise."

"How long ... " He left the question hanging.

"Not long. No more than an hour. Body's still very warm."

The room seemed to give a collective shiver. Castle frowned. It wasn't like they weren't all used to seeing dead bodies; even he himself had witnessed more than just a few since working with them. Maybe it was the freshness, the feeling of too-recent malevolence hanging in the air. Whatever it was, it was more than a little disconcerting.

"Maybe we can catch whoever did this before it gets cold."

Beckett stared at him curiously, but Esposito nodded. "Shall we bet on it?"

Ryan opened his mouth but Beckett cut him off before he could even get started. "Gentlemen, let's focus, shall we?" She walked over to the window. "Ryan, Esposito, canvass the neighbours and see what you can get. Someone called the police and I want to know who and why. Castle and I will check out the apartment."

"Okay boss."

Castle wandered the apartment, noting the decor and checking out the books in the extensive bookshelf on one wall of the living room. Beckett put on gloves and began to work in the kitchen.

"Anything?" she called over her shoulder.

"Nothing except for one notable absence." He walked over to join her. "No pictures. None at all. What home has no pictures of family hanging on the walls?"

She turned and put her hands on her hips. "Mine."

"Really? No pictures at all?"

"None."

"Why?"

Her eyebrows quirked. "What do you mean why?"

"Everyone has pictures of family. Why not put them up where you can see them?"

"Some people like their privacy Castle. Is that so hard to understand?"

"Privacy from whom? The way I hear it, you never have anyone over."

Lanie chuckled. "He's got a point."

Beckett turned away but not before he caught a hint of pink in her cheeks. "Let's get back to the matter at hand."

Castle looked at Lanie. They both shrugged.

"Go check out the bedroom and bathroom." She held out her hand from which something dangled. "Don't forget gloves."

"Like I would forget. You wound me." He placed a hand over his heart and was pleased to note her scowl changing into a smirk when she thought he couldn't see her anymore.

He did the bathroom first, only giving it a cursory once-over, knowing the forensics team would find any details he overlooked. The victim had several prescription medications in the medicine cupboard. "Pretty potent stuff," he murmured, recognizing the trade names.

The bedrooms was meticulously clean. It amazed him. He'd never known a woman who didn't have underwear draped on chairs and several discarded outfits she'd tried on and discarded strewn across the bed; even Alexis, attentive to detail and cleanliness as she was, wasn't immune to such feminine behaviour.

There were no masculine belongings to be found anywhere. Castle had noticed the woman didn't wear a wedding ring but that didn't mean much. It seemed she didn't have a significant other ... at least not a live in one or one who visited regularly.

One more room. Probably an office, he mused, moving to open the closed door. When he opened it he realized he was wrong.

Dead wrong.

*** * ***

"Goodnight Shawn. Thank you for a lovely evening." Alexis smiled brightly.

He returned it but there was something else in his eyes. "Alexis, couldn't we ... "

"My dad is expecting me back now," she said quickly. "I've got to go."

The boy sighed. "I'll see you soon?"

She nodded. "I'll call you."

He leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek, not hiding the fact that he was trying to peek into the suite behind her. "Goodnight."

Martha materialized as soon as the door was shut. "You are far too much of a goody-goody for your age."

"Most girls my age get exactly the opposite words from their parents and guardians."

"You're the most grown-up of all three of us and while I know your father appreciates your maturity, it's not natural for someone your age to act like a parent instead of a teenager."

Alexis smiled as she pushed the hair out of her face and behind her ears. "Someone has to take care of both of you."

Martha came around the island and swept the young girl into her arms. "And we appreciate that more than you know. But it's important that you live your youth while you have it darling. You're only young once and you can't waste those years being responsible all the time. Enjoy yourself. Live a little."

"Are you encouraging me to go out and party, do drugs and have sex?"

"Heavens no! But if the thought ever crosses your mind, make sure you use birth control. Being a parent can be a wonderful thing but not a fifteen."

Alexis hugged her hard. "I love you Gram."

"I love you too sweetheart."

*** TBC ***


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** My apologies for the formatting of chapter one. I've been struggling with it for a while and didn't realize I could edit it here. New computer and it's the first time I've been able to access this site in years! Hopefully the rest of the chapters will come out correctly. Thank you to all of you who read the first chapter and to those who've added it to your alert list. I hope you enjoy the rest!

* * *

**~ Heat Exchange: Flashpoint ~**

_Chapter Two ~ _

Castle's eyes grew wide as he looked around the room decorated in pink and purple and filled with dolls galore.

"Detective Beckett," he called, saying her name very slowly.

"Yeah, what?"

"You might want to come here." He didn't have to ask twice. Her eyes grew wide as saucers as she joined him. "She has a daughter."

Their heads turned simultaneously to face one another. "So where is she?"

Castle shrugged. "Kidnapped, maybe?"

"No ransom note. Besides, who's going to pay now that her mother is dead?"

A sudden noise put them both on alert and Beckett had her gun drawn before Castle could say, 'uh oh'. She scanned the room quickly, learning what he'd already figured out. He moved forward and slowly opened the louvered door, exposing a closet. A young girl, tear stained and blotchy-faced, stood there amongst the clothes.

"Oh, my, God," Beckett said, separating each word carefully and re-holstering her gun.

He knelt down in front of the little girl. "Hello there. Don't be afraid, we're the police. The is Detective Kate Beckett and I'm Rick Castle. We're here to help you." He was glad Beckett didn't correct him as she usually did when he lumped himself in with 'police'. The girl was clearly terrified - and rightly so if she'd been here while her mother had been killed. She needed to be handled gently and with much care. "Can you tell me your name?"

"Abbey," she whispered, the word nearly lost in hiccups.

"Abbey. It's nice to meet you." He offered a tentative smile. "How old are you Abbey? Eight?" he guessed.

"Seven. Almost eight." There was a miniscule lift of her shoulders as she proudly added the second part.

His smile grew. "Why don't you come on out of there so we can talk."

She shook her head.

"I know you're scared, but there's no one here but us and we won't let anything hurt you. Promise." He looked up at Beckett and saw she was thinking the same thing he was.

"I'll get the body moved," she mouthed. He nodded and she left the room.

"Now it's just the two of us. Can you tell me about your doll collection?"

Abbey looked at him as if he were crazy. Castle smiled. "I have a daughter who used to love dolls when she was your age. We played with them every day."

Abbey came out of the closet hesitantly and pounced on one sitting in the centre of the bed, clearly one of her favourites. "This is Emma. She sleeps with me every night."

"Well it's nice to meet you Emma," he said to the doll, glancing down the hall and smiling internally at Beckett's nod of approval. He had her talking. Maybe not about the events that had just occurred, but at least she was opening up and making a connection with him. The rest would come.

*** * * **

By the time Beckett had finished seeing the body removed from the crime scene and had done a thorough sweep of the kitchen, Castle and Abbey had become fast friends. She could hear them chattering away and even the odd giggle coming from the back bedroom. She was amazed at how quickly he, a perfect stranger to her, had managed to win the young girl's confidence. _It shouldn't be too surprising, he has a child of his own. Talking at her level is something he's had experience with._ She envied him this and wondered, not for the first time, if she herself would ever get around to having children. _Need a partner to contribute to that first._ She grimaced. Wasn't going to happen any time this side of hell freezing over the way her personal life was going.

"Castle," she called.

"Yes?"

"Time for us to head back."

"Okay, be right there."

She heard him talking to Abbey in soft, soothing tones, likely trying to convince her it was okay for her to come to the station with them. Two minutes elapsed before they came out, hand-in-hand, and joined her in the kitchen. She nodded appreciatively and grabbed the victim's purse and some other personal papers they'd found to take back for scrutiny.

Abbey refused to ride in the second police car and steadfastly attached herself to Castle's side. "I want to ride with him."

He grinned. "At least somebody loves me."

Beckett rolled her eyes as she climbed into the car. "Authors. Always starved for attention."

"You hadn't figured that out already?"

She glanced swiftly over her shoulder at him and shook her head. "Sometimes I wonder if you ever actually grew up."

"Isn't that what you love about me? My boyish charm?"

"Love is such a strong word." He didn't actually laugh out loud but she could feel his amusement. "Let's go."

*** * * **

Abbey was fast asleep by the time they reached the station. Not surprising, as it was already nearly ten.

"I'll carry her," Castle offered, unfastening the seat belt and lifting her into his arms. "You go find a place for her to sleep."

A few minutes later she was safely ensconced in the chief's office, using his leather couch as a bed.

"I'll stick around in case she wakes up."

Beckett stared at him. "You don't have to. You can go home. It's late."

"It's okay, I don't mind. Besides, maybe I can be of some help."

She shrugged. "Suit yourself," she said, and began walking towards the white board.

"I'll just call home."

He watched, as he told Alexis the story, seeing how Beckett, Esposito and Ryan began to put together information to fill in the story of what had happened to Susan Armstrong. Eventually he joined them but uncharacteristically said nothing. When the guys headed back to their desks to do some cross-checking and information gathering, Castle joined Beckett at hers.

"Nothing to say? No jokes? That's not like you Castle. Are you feeling okay?"

He crossed his arms over his chest as he perched on the edge of her desk. Very funny. I'm not always about levity you know."

"Really? That's a side of you I've never seen before."

"There's more than one side of me you've never seen before."

Beckett's eyebrow raised as she caught the faint hint of lechery in his words. "I'm going to leave that one alone."

"Probably best." His cheeks flamed.

She worked for quite a while in silence, tapping away at her computer and writing things longhand in a newly-minted file folder. Eventually she stopped and dropped her pen. "Well, I think that's all we can do until morning," she said, sounding tired.

"It is morning already," Ryan called out. "Twelve forty-one."

"Let's go home and get some rest. Tomorrow we'll verify the neighbour's stories and talk to Susan's next-of-kin and employer. No need to wake them to talk now. We'll need to see if we can get anything out of Abbey as well. She may well be crucial to this investigation."

"I'll see what I can do with her," Castle offered, voice oddly quiet.

"Go home. Get some sleep." Beckett yawned and stretched as she stood.

"I ... think I'll stay. Is there anywhere I can lay down? Couch? Very expensive office chair that reclines?"

"You don't need to stay." She waved her arm. "The uniforms over there are on duty all night. They'll take care of her."

"Yeah, but if she wakes up in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar faces all around her? Her mother just died and her whole world has been turned upside down. Right now I think she needs to have at least one familiar face nearby."

She nodded. "There's a couch in the boardroom."

"You have a boardroom?"

"This is a police station, not corporate offices. We only use it maybe once a year."

"Nice," he observed as she led him into the well-furnished room. "I'll leave the door open so I can hear what's going on out there."

"Sleep well." Beckett's mouth pulled into a sly grin. "See you in the morning."

"Goodnight. Sweet dreams." _Of me._

He grinned as he lay down. Even if she didn't dream of him, he'd probably dream of her. It wouldn't be the first time.

*** * * **

_His mouth tickled as he kissed behind her ear, down her neck and bit lightly on her shoulder. She giggled and he pulled her closer, murmuring something deep down in his chest. His hands explored her, caressing lovingly as they traced all of the swells and valleys of her body, eliciting shivers of anticipation. _

_Their mouths found one another and they kissed, mouths open, exploring, tasting, getting to know one another in the one way they didn't already. His body was hard against hers; hers ready to take him in._

_"Mmm, Castle," she murmured, as she opened her legs and arched up against him._

Beep, beep, beep, beep.

Beckett slammed the alarm clock against the dresser and growled as she padded unsteadily over to the shower._ Why? Why am I dreaming about him?_ she berated herself, turning on the water, though not bothering to touch the hot tap. Hot and steamy dreams about a coworker was not a good way to start the day. Now she was going to have to have a cold shower and a large coffee to help purge it from her mind so she could actually work.

_Damn you, Castle,_ she thought. But she couldn't help but smile as she stepped under the spray.

*** TBC ***


	3. Chapter 3

**~ Heat Exchange: Flashpoint ~**

_Chapter Three ~_

_'It's cold comfort, to the ones without it, to know how they struggle, how they suffered about it. If their lives were exotic and strange they would likely exchange them for something a little more plain, maybe something a little more sane.'_

_*** * * **_

The door opened and Beckett walked in just as he took a huge bite. Castle tried to smile but failed, realizing he couldn't without showing off a large chunk of powdered sugar doughnut. He shrugged and smirked instead.

She shook her head, rolling her eyes at him. "Healthy breakfast, Castle."

He looked at the box of doughnuts, Abbey's chocolate and his own black coffee. Then he and Abbey looked at each other and grinned. "I am the fun one around here."

"It's a wonder you're not the fat one, the way you eat."

"Somebody didn't have a good night," Ryan said, walking up to them with his partner close on his heels.

"Sorry, I don't do cheerful on less than five hours sleep," she grumbled.

"Remind me not to get on her bad side," Esposito said to Castle, out of the corner of his mouth.

"You can start by getting me the address of Susan's parents. We'll head there first, then visit Abbey's father. You two talk to the neighbours and the security guard in the apartment building. That white board is looking a lot more empty than I'd like it to be." The men nodded and headed off to their respective desks.

"Are you going to find out how my mom died?" the little girl spoke up suddenly.

Beckett sat down and leaned forward. "Yes Abbey. I'm so sorry you've lost your mother but I'm going to find out what happened to her. I promise."

"Will I live with my dad now?"

Her mouth hung open for a moment. "I don't know yet. For now you're going to come with us to your grandparents house and stay with them until we get this figured out."

The little girl nodded and went back to slurping the last of her chocolate milk out of the carton as if she didn't have a care in the world. Beckett knew better. The mind, faced with something so large and incomprehensible, strove for normalcy, reality. It compartmentalized the trauma to be dealt with later, when the shock wore off. She knew exactly how Abbey was feeling. A wave of sadness swept over her and she swallowed hard over the sudden lump in her throat.

She stood and cleared her throat. "You guys coming?" she shot mainly at Castle, a little more gruffly than she'd intended.

"Wouldn't miss it."

She suppressed a grin as he wiped white powder off his chin. "Let's clean up this mess before we go. I don't want to come back to find mice have moved in."

"They're actually not all that bad," Castle said, sweeping the box into the trash can. "Better four-legged vacuum cleaners than dogs, actually."

Abbey giggled.

"I prefer my desk to be vermin-less, thank you very much."

"Vermin-less. Is that even a word?"

"It is now."

The tone of her voice shut him up and the three of them rode to Susan's parents house in silence. They lived in a small bungalow on the outskirts of the city. The yard wasn't terribly large either but Castle knew looks were deceiving. Property in this area was among the most expensive in the state. Their modest home was probably worth more than his two-storey five thousand square foot penthouse condo.

"Mr and Mrs Armstrong?"

The white-haired couple greeted Abbey with love as she ran to them but the wary look on the man's face showed he already suspected why they were there. One look at Beckett's badge and the woman tearfully led Abbey away.

The elderly man ushered them into the living room. "What happened to Susan?" he asked wearily, suddenly looking very old.

Beckett explained as gently as she could. Castle felt a pang of sympathy for the family. He couldn't even begin to imagine something happening to Alexis. How did one deal with the death of one's child?

"You think she was murdered? Who'd do such a thing to Susan? She was such a lovely soul." The tears began to flow freely.

"We were hoping you might be able to help us figure that out," she said gently.

"Us? What could we possibly know?"

"Can you tell us about your daughter? Her life, her daughter, where she works, who her friends are ... "

"I'm not sure where to begin."

"Anything you can tell us might help," Castle encouraged.

An hour later they were on their way, discussing the things the old man had told them.

"So Susan and Abbey's father were never married," Beckett said.

"That's not exactly uncommon."

"True. Well, we'll be seeing him next so that'll give us some sort of feel for how well he knows his daughter and what the custody arrangement is."

"We'll need to talk to her lawyer too - if she has one - to find out if she'd made plans for Abbey in the event of something happening to her."

"Good thinking."

Castle puffed out his chest. "I knew you kept me around for more than just my ruggedly handsome good looks."

She tried to hold back the laughter that erupted out of her and it ended up sounding like a cross between a snort and a guffaw. "I'm not sure your 'ruggedly handsome' good looks have anything to do with it, unless the mayor has yet to come out of the closet. He's the one issuing the orders for you to stick with me."

He sagged visibly, forcing a pout. "And here I thought you liked having me around," he teased.

"My life would certainly be a lot quieter without you," she grinned.

*** * * **

An hour later the four of them met in the bullpen to compare notes.

"Mark Malone is Abbey's father. He and Susan were never married and they split before Abbey was even born, so Susan had full custody of her for her entire life."

"Was the split amicable?" Ryan asked as Beckett wrote some dates on the timeline.

"Apparently."

"We only have his word for that," Castle jumped in.

"Her parents never said anything," she objected, then added, "but we know people don't always tell the truth or all of the truth. Often they leave out all sorts of important information without even realizing it. It's something we can ask them the next time we talk."

"Has Malone ever seen his daughter?" Esposito asked.

"Now and then. There was no regular custody arrangement but according to him Susan allowed him to visit for special occasions - Christmas, the girl's birthday ... there was no relationship between him and Susan anymore so no possibility of a reconciliation." She pinned up his picture and wrote a small blurb about him underneath. "Any luck with the neighbours?"

"You'd better believe it. Old lady who lives across the way."

Ryan continued as if sharing his partner's brain. "She babysits Abbey whenever Susan goes out in the evenings."

"She'd been asked to babysit last night, so just like usual she goes to let herself in - "

"Susan gave her spare keys to the place - "

"But she sees the door ajar and gets worried."

"She goes in - "

"Sees the body on the floor - "

"Screams - "

"Alerting the neighbour next door who calls 911."

"And there you have it."

Beckett shook her head.

"You guys rehearse that?" Castle asked with an admiring smile.

"You like it?" Esposito smiled.

"You could take it on the road. Seriously."

"Don't quit your day jobs just yet," Beckett interrupted. "Do we have any times?" She stood poised, marker in hand.

"Mrs Neighbour-sitter," Ryan looked at Castle, eyebrows raised. Castle gave him a thumbs up. Beckett rolled her eyes. " ... said she was supposed to go over at six-thirty. She went a few minutes early to see if there were any instructions other than the usual."

"Can we get any confirmation of when she was last seen alive?"

"Abbey might be able to tell us." They all looked at him and Castle shrugged.

"True, but we need an adult witness to confirm. Esposito?"

He flipped through his notebook. "Security guard let them in at five, when Susan picked Abbey up from her afterschool program."

Beckett wrote it all down. "Now we need to narrow down what happened between five and six-thirty. Guys, interview the security guard again. See if he has anything else he can tell us about what happened during that timeframe. Then check Susan's cellphone records. I'm off to see her lawyer and when I get back I'll check her landline."

"Et moi?" Castle pointed at himself.

She stared at him carefully for a moment without answering.

"You want me to go home," he guessed, shoulders slumping.

"No. I want you to go talk to Abbey. She trusts you. Maybe she'll tell you what happened ... her version of it, anyway."

"I can do that."

"Good. Everybody keep in touch. I don't need to tell you time is of the essence here."

*** TBC ***


	4. Chapter 4

**~ Heat Exchange: Flashpoint ~**

_Chapter Four ~_

_'I won't betray the trust you have in me. I'll never lose my faith in what can be. Don't ever be afraid to let your feelings show.'_

_*** * * **_

Susan's father answered the door, already looking considerably older than he had just a couple of hours earlier.

"What do you want?" he said rather ungraciously. Castle forgived him instantly. Finding out your child was dead was the worst possible thing that could happen to a parent.

"Detective Beckett wants me to talk with Abbey to find out what she saw and heard last night."

"She wants _you_ to ask?" Suspicion filled his voice.

Castle shrugged. "Abbey and I hit it off last night. I was the only one she'd talk to." He grinned self-consciously. "Beckett isn't a parent and doesn't have much to do with children. I have a daughter of my own ... "

The man moved aside and opened the door wider. "Come in. I'll get them. My wife's been with her since you dropped her off."

"Understandable. Such an unfortunate situation for the poor girl."

Castle sat in the room they'd talked in earlier as the man wandered to the back of the house. It was larger than it looked on the outside, but a few moments later he heard the muted sound of female voices begin to grow louder. He smiled welcomingly as Abbey came into the room and sat across from him.

"Hello Mr Castle."

His eyes lit up. "Hey, you remembered my name."

She giggled. "It was easy. Castle. That's where princesses live."

"Indeed." He pulled out his phone and selected a wallpaper. "And here's the princess who lives in my castle," he said, showing her Alexis's smiling face. "Her name is Alexis."

"She's very beautiful," Mrs Armstrong said.

"Yes she is. Fortunately she takes after her mother that way and not me."

Abbey giggled again and he felt a pricking of his conscience at the thought of grilling her and causing her more pain. _She was there; she's a witness. We need to know what she knows. Besides, the sooner she gets it out, the better she'll feel._ Castle made a mental note to check with his brain to see why his inner voice was beginning to sound so much like Beckett.

"Abbey, I'm here because Detective Beckett wants me to talk to you about what happened to your mom last night."

The girl's smile dropped immediately. Mrs Armstrong stared at him through slitted eyes. "Why isn't she the one here? You're not a police officer, you're an author. I've seen your picture on the back of your books."

"That's true, but I've been working with the police department for nearly a year. Being a mystery writer gives me some insight into helping solve cases."

"How's that?"

"We both like to take a bunch of pieces and fit them together to see what picture we come up with. Sort of like a puzzle. The difference is that I start with the solution and work backwards to tell the story, rather than having all the clues and putting them together to figure out where it ends. We sort of complement each other in trying to solve difficult cases."

"I think I'd like to stay here while you talk to her," the elderly woman said, laying her arm across Abbey's shoulders.

He couldn't have agreed more. If he were in her place he'd be very uncomfortable with a strange man talking to his daughter. Suspicion was as much a part of human nature as curiosity.

He nodded. "Of course. I'm sure she'd be more comfortable having you stay." He took a deep breath, not quite sure where to begin. He'd observed the art of grilling a suspect and questioning people connected to crime many a time but he couldn't use the same direct and sometimes harsh techniques Beckett used with her witnesses on this little girl.

"Can you tell me about your day yesterday?" he asked gently. "Start with what happened when you woke up and go from there."

She was meticulous in describing everything she'd done from making her bed to what questions she'd answered at school. _ Just like her mom_, he thought, remembering the pristine bedroom.

"And what did you do when you got home from school?"

The well suddenly dried up. Abbey's face grew pale and her eyes seemed to darken right in front of him. "Played."

"Where did you play?"

"In my room."

"What did you play?"

"With my dolls."

"Where was your mom?"

"Kitchen."

"All the time you were playing?"

Her face took on a pinched look. "I guess. I don't know."

"You were in your room so you didn't see," Castle clarified.

Abbey nodded.

"Can you tell me if you heard anything?"

"The door was closed."

"Was there any noise in your room?"

She frowned. "Just me."

"Could you hear anything through the door? Music or the TV?"

"Maybe the TV. There were people talking."

"Did you recognize the voices?"

"My mom doesn't let me watch TV."

"I see. She must have turned it off though because it wasn't on when we got there. Did you notice when the voices stopped?"

Abbey shrugged. "I heard people talking and then it was quiet."

"And then ... ?"

The girl stiffened and a scared look came over her face. "I don't want to talk anymore."

Mrs Armstrong gathered the girl into her arms. "It's okay love, you don't have to."

Castle, contrite, leaned forward. "I'm sorry Abbey. I don't mean to hurt you or make you scared. I'm just trying to find out what happened. If you don't want to talk any more, you don't have to. But if you do want to talk another day, I'll come and listen, okay?"

She nodded, close to tears.

"You were very good with her," Mr Armstrong observed gruffly as he showed Castle out.

"I do have Alexis and she was this age not so very long ago. We do a lot of talking, her and me, since we've only got each other."

"Is her mother ... "

" ... dead? No, but she might as well be, for all the times she comes around. Her life is more important than that of us mere mortals."

"A single parent to a teenage girl? I don't envy you." Armstrong smiled.

"It's certainly been a learning experience. But one I wouldn't trade for anything."

*** * * **

"Security guard didn't give us any help," Esposito said as they convened to compare notes.

"Between the time Abbey and Susan arrived home and we got there later, there was nothing out of the ordinary." Ryan consulted his notes. "Seven other tenants came home, a plumber, coupla pizza delivery guys, and a Fedex deliveryman. No one connected to Susan in any way."

Castle watched with furrowed brows as Beckett added the information to the board. His conversation with Abbey had yielded a little, but the bulk of the new information had come through Beckett's interview with the lawyer.

"Hot damn," Ryan blurted out at Beckett's news. "Dad finds out he gets custody of the girl if her mom dies and three days later, boom. That's not just coincidence."

"But why? He seemed to have little to no relationship with either of them. Why would he suddenly want a seven year old girl in his life?"

"And did Abbey know about the arrangement? Is that why she asked, 'am I going to live with my dad now?' when we told her about her mom's death? Why would she assume that when she only sees him once or twice a year?" Castle asked.

"Good point."

He inclined his head, accepting her praise. It was rare that Beckett complimented him and he always acknowledged it.

"Do we have a list of Susan's friends and acquaintances?"

Ryan shook his head. "Not complete yet."

"You guys tackle that and we'll interview her boss and coworkers."

Castle rubbed his hands together. "I love banks."

Beckett smirked as they walked in stride to the elevator. "I always find it interesting how people who have money in the bank like banks a lot more than people who owe them. The more money they have, the more they're endeared to the institution, it seems."

"Well it's no secret where I fit in. How 'bout you?"

She gave him a narrow-eyed glare. "What do you think?"

*** * ***

"Susan was an exemplary employee. She's worked here for thirteen years and we've always been pleased with her performance."

Beckett smiled tightly at the bank manager, a man who looked to be barely out of his teens. "But you yourself haven't been here that long, have you Mr. Mayba?"

He flushed. "No, I haven't. I've only been manager here for three years. Transferred from another branch. But of course I read the employee files rigorously when I first came. Always good to know what to expect from your employees, right?" He smiled.

"Of course."

*** * * **

"So what did you think of him?"

Castle decided to go with his gut instinct. He opened the car door and stopped, looking at her over the roof top. "He didn't seem quite real. Something felt off." He held his breath, waiting for her to disagree.

She swung herself into the car and slammed the door. "I agree. Either he was lying, or ... "

Castle shut his own door and turned to face her. " ... he was lying."

*** TBC ***


	5. Chapter 5

**~ Heat Exchange: Flashpoint ~**

_Chapter Five ~_

_'Half our lives we spend waiting for the knock upon the door. When it comes will it be the one that I've been waiting for?'_

_*** * * **_

The office seemed darker now, though the lights were just as bright, as though the gathering twilight had moved inside. Perhaps it was just a feeling brought on as desks began to empty and people called out goodnights as they headed home to family and lives that didn't involve crime.

Castle blew on his burning fingers as he put down the steaming cardboard boxes full of food. "Dinner," he said triumphantly.

"That's where you went," Beckett said, putting down her pen and looking up at him. "I thought you'd gone home."

"We're just getting started," he retorted with obvious relish. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. "Mmm, Chinese. I love Chinese."

"Dig in."

They ate in relative silence, both being ravenously hungry since skipping lunch. Castle began to talk about the case a few times but conversation lagged so he let it go until the food was done.

"I needed that, thank you," she said, looking him straight in the eye.

For once his usual easy sarcasm was nowhere to be found. "My pleasure," he said, clearing his throat and feeling his cheeks grow warm.

"Now onto business." She picked up the folders on her desk and strode purposefully to the white board. "Susan didn't appear to have much of a life outside of work and her daughter."

Castle shrugged as he joined her. "Hazard of the job when you're a single parent."

She looked at him archly. "_You_ seem to have a pretty active social life."

"Now, yes. When Alexis was young I rarely ventured outside the apartment. I wrote while she was at school and then spent evenings doing homework and reading with her. My only social contacts were the other parents at her various lessons and clubs."

"Hmm." She looked surprised.

"What? You don't have any kids. It's hard to understand how they can become your whole life until you do."

"I would never have pictured you as the daddy type if I didn't know you had a daughter."

He smiled a lop-sided smile. "I never thought I was the daddy type either until Alexis' mother walked out and left her with me. It's amazing how those protective instincts kick in."

She shuffled some papers from the file. "It seems Susan has only one close friend - Jessica Robinson - that she did things with socially. She ate lunch with the same group from work nearly every day, two women and a man."

"Shall we get chatting with them?"

Beckett smiled. "You read my mind."

He followed her back to the desk where she began placing calls. _Good thing you can't read mine,_ he thought, breaking into a large grin.

*** * * **

"Well sure, we eat together most days. Unless one of us has a lunchtime appointment or something."

Jennifer Spears was blonde, blue-eyed and innocent, one of those guileless people who can be seen right through. Castle was pretty certain whatever she told them would be the truth.

"Did Susan seem upset or disturbed lately?"

Jennifer shook her head.

"Anything on her mind? Any strange behaviour?"

"I don't think so. If anything was bothering her, she didn't talk about it. She seemed fine to me."

*** * * **

"It's nice to have someone to eat lunch with, you know? The city can be a lonely place."

Beckett half smiled at Jamie Hamilton. "You're not from the city?"

He shook his head. "Nope. Grew up on a farm outside Kansas City. For all that New York has millions of people, it sometimes feels like you're all alone. I imagine that changes once you're not really a newcomer anymore."

"Not necessarily," Castle said slowly. "It's easy to stay lost in the crowd unless you find your niche."

"Well I certainly did. The job keeps me awfully busy during work hours but hanging out with Jennifer, Susan and Valentina at lunch helped to make things more personal ... you know?"

"Mr. Hamilton, did you notice any strange behaviour from Susan lately? Did she say or do anything out of character?"

"Now that you mention it, she has been a little quieter lately. Not talking as much as usual at lunch."

"She was usually pretty talkative?"

"About like the rest of us. I guess I just figured she was tired. Dark circles under her eyes you know. Must be hard being a single parent."

"You knew about her personal life?"

"Not much. But I knew she wasn't married. She was always hurrying off after work to pick up her daughter, never had time to go out."

"You asked her out?" Castle asked.

He coloured. "Not her specifically. Just if all of us wanted to go out for a drink or whatever. You know?"

*** * * **

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Beckett asked as they walked back to the bullpen after escorting the man out.

"I think so Brain."

Her head whipped around. "Huh?"

"Never mind. Obscure cartoon reference. But yes, I think I'm thinking what you're thinking."

"Jamie Hamilton asked our victim out on a date ... "

" ... and she refused," he finished. "Do you really think that's motive enough?"

"People have been killed for less, Castle. You yourself have written flimsier motives than that. Remember 'A Night to Revive Her?' "

He beamed. "I didn't know you'd read my work."

Her cheeks grew pink. "Research. It helps me to know who I'm working with."

"Detective Beckett, if you want to get to know me, all you have to do is ask. I'd be happy to tell you anything you want to know. We could go out to dinner sometime and ... "

"In your dreams, Castle. In your dreams."

But he noticed as she turned away, that her cheeks had turned a very bright shade of red.

*** * * **

Esposito joined them at that point, a pretty brunette following behind him. She was obviously upset; her eyes were red and puffy and she was clutching a sheaf of kleenexes.

"This is Jessica Robinson, Susan's friend," he said, introducing her to his head detective.

They sat in a private room to talk.

"I can't believe Susan's dead." Her voice cracked on the last word. "Just like that. What happened?"

"We're not sure. We're hoping you can tell us about Susan and maybe shed some light on what happened last night."

"Susan was a great person and a wonderful friend. She worked hard, had a good job, and she and Abbey seemed happy."

"Seemed?" Castle interjected.

She shrugged. "Well you never know, do you? Even the people you think you know best sometimes have secrets. Everyone puts on a happy face for the world even when they're hurting inside."

"Do you think Susan was hurting?" Beckett asked.

"No I don't. I knew her pretty well and I think she'd have told me if anything were wrong."

"Did you notice anything odd about her behaviour, or any moodiness that was different than the usual?"

Jessica looked straight at him. "No, she seemed perfectly fine. In fact we were going out to a movie last night ... well we were supposed to, but she never showed up."

"Whereabouts?"

"At the Planet. I got there at six-thirty, bought two tickets and waited but she never came."

"You called to find out ... " Castle prompted.

"I called four or five times but she never answered." More tears came and she sniffled. "I know why now."

"You didn't go by her place to find out why she stood you up?"

"No, I assumed Abbey got sick or something. That happened once before; a 'flu came on suddenly and she had to cancel."

"Surely she'd call to let you know though."

"I would have thought so, yes."

Beckett asked a few more questions about Susan's life and about the previous night specifically, then they let her go home.

"I wonder if she knows more than she's saying," Beckett mused aloud.

"Doesn't seem like she's holding anything back."

"No, but I kind of hope she is."

"Why?"

"We've got a bit of a conundrum here. Jessica and Jennifer both seem to think everything was peachy keen and that Susan had no problems, yet Jamie said she was distracted and quiet lately, and the bank manager is definitely hiding something."

Castle chewed his lip. "Maybe he has other reasons for hiding the truth."

"Such as?"

"Maybe he's a fugitive, pretending to be a respectable citizen, figuring taking a job as a bank manager puts him above suspicion. Maybe he has a Latino cleaning lady who came over from Cuba and is working illegally. Maybe he's a drug lord and is using the bank's bonded shipping to send out his shipments without customs opening the crates."

She shook her head and smiled just a little. "It never ceases to amaze me how you can come up with so many creative theories out of thin air."

"Why do you think I became a writer? Most jobs don't have much of a place for a vivid imagination. Writing allows me to think out of the box and be as creative as I like."

Beckett tapped her pen on the desk aimlessly, a faraway look in her eyes.

"What? What are you thinking?"

"Perhaps a little out of the box thinking is required here. I'm going to requisition the bank's records."

"You think I'm right?"

"Not necessarily ... but I've got a gut feeling and I'm following it."

Castle grinned. "That's my girl."

*** TBC * **


	6. Chapter 6

**~ Heat Exchange: Flashpoint ~**

_Chapter Six ~_

_'Spirits fly on dangerous missions. Imaginations on fire. Focused high on soaring ambitions consumed in a single desire.'_

The murder investigation team of Beckett, Esposito, Ryan and Castle neither slumbered nor slept when there was work to do, and though it was past eight they were humming along as if it were still mid-day.

"Here are Susan's cell phone records," Ryan said, dropping a sheet full of names and numbers on Beckett's desk.

"Thanks. Castle, can you cross-reference them and get me her most frequently called numbers, plus whomever she talked to last night?"

"Consider it done. What are you going to do?"

She smiled and held up a similar sheet. "Same thing but with the land line."

They worked in silence for some minutes, circling, tracing and drawing arrows until both pages looked like a bird's nest. Beckett dropped her pen onto the desk and drew in a deep breath. "You done?"

He followed suit. "Uh huh," he said, but just as they were going to head over to the board to compare notes and get information written out, the phone rang.

"Beckett," she said crisply, picking up the receiver without looking at the number. If she had, she would have recognized it.

"Hey girl."

"Hey, what's up?"

"You still working?"

"What do you think?"

"Grab Castle and come on downstairs. I've got something to show you."

"How'd you know he's still here?" she asked, cheeks growing warm.

"You're here, where else would he be?"

She turned her back to him, openly watching her as he always did, and walked a few steps away. "What do you need him for?" she asked in a somewhat quieter voice.

"I don't," Lanie said, a large grin evident in her voice. "But he's easy on the eyes and fun to have around."

Beckett hung up, feeling a twinge of some nearly unfamiliar feeling. Jealousy? No, it couldn't be. _That would mean you'd have to want him for yourself. _She pushed the thought aside. _Not now. Working._

She spun around. "You coming downstairs?"

Her words were brusque, clipped, like she was angry, but Castle knew better. Kate Beckett was good at keeping her feelings in check but occasionally they slipped out, and when they did, she used a brisk, businesslike tone of voice to hide it until she could get them under control.

He peeked at her profile once they were side by side in the elevator. Her pink cheeks confirmed it and he felt giddy knowing she was losing her composure because of him. Yet again.

"Wouldn't miss it. A chance to check out dead bodies and visit with a lovely medical examiner? Who'd want to miss that?"

Her lips tightened, then a smile lit up her eyes. "How'd you know it's Lanie and not Perlmutter?"

"I'm sure there are many who'd find Perlmutter lovely, but he's hardly my type," he quipped.

"What, you don't swing that way?" She was grinning openly now.

"Would you like me better if I did? Because I can ... "

She held up a hand, conceding defeat. "Not on my account."

They stared at one another, eyes locked together as the air crackled with tension. The elevator dinged as it reached the basement and the doors opened but both acts went unnoticed as they continued to be lost in each other's eyes.

"You guys forget to get off?" Lanie stood in the elevator doorway, hands on her hips, looking extremely amused.

Beckett was the first to react. She whipped around and cleared her throat, cheeks growing a deeper shade of red. "Right. What did you want to show us?"

Lanie led them into her examining room. "Now I could have just emailed you the details but I wanted you to see it for yourself."

"What are we looking at?" Castle asked, seemingly baffled by the normalcy of the body.

"The wound."

"Blunt force trauma, you said."

"Well that was my early impression."

"You've got a different theory now?"

"Well, no ... but I'll be damned if I can figure out what she was hit with. The shape and size of the wound," she picked Susan's hair apart carefully to reveal a copper-stained dent, "aren't consistent with anything I've ever seen before."

Beckett pursed her lips. "Your best guess?"

The other woman shrugged. "I really couldn't tell you. It's definitely blunt, so not a knife or a letter opener - nothing delicate. But it's not consistent with a blow from a large object either. It wasn't a bat or a wooden stick ... "

" ... or a frying pan?" Castle suggested, mindful of the fact that they'd found Susan in her kitchen.

"Nope." She shook her head firmly. "This here seems to indicate a sharp point."

"So it's a blunt object but with a point." Beckett's eyebrow raised.

"I'm stumped Kate. The depth of the bruising shows it was definitely a hard, heavy object, but the point would seem to indicate something with a sharp, pointy end. How do you reconcile that?"

They were all silent for a moment.

"Maybe the blunt end of a carving knife?" Castle spoke up.

"It could be, but I doubt it. It would have to have been driven in with extreme force. You got someone that hated her enough for that?"

Beckett and Castle looked at one another then back at her. "We've got nothing at this point. I was hoping the post-mortem might help us out." Beckett was clearly not pleased.

"I'm sorry. I'll keep looking, see if anything else springs to mind. I can ask Johnson to take a look ... "

The detective nodded. "Do it. We can use all the help we can get. I want to find her killer_ now_."

"Will do. And I'll be getting the toxicology and UV reports in a few hours. I'll get them to you as soon as they're ready."

"Ah, the old blunt force as a blind thing, while the killer actually used poison. Very tricky," Castle said, nodding knowingly.

"Perhaps. Although she was definitely alive when the blow was struck. That much I know for certain."

He watched her narrowly without appearing to do so. She was clearly upset at the news from the morgue. Not surprising, as they had yet to get one good lead. Beckett was a conscientious detective and always took it personally when she couldn't get a handle on a case.

"So what are we missing?" he said softly, knowing he was intruding into her thoughts.

"Hmm?" Her head spun around, eyes dragging themselves back to the here and now slowly.

"So far we've got very little. What are we missing? We must be missing something."

"Obviously," she snapped. "If I knew what it was, the case would probably be solved by now." She let the air out of her lungs in a small hiss. "Sorry, didn't mean to snipe."

"It's okay. I'm your sounding board. Go ahead and bounce things off me, even if it hurts."

Her mouth pulled up in a half-smile. "Well, let's revisit what we do have so far." She led him to the white board. "Two of Susan's friends say everything was just fine with her. Do we believe them?"

"We have no reason not to. They seemed to be honest enough and we have no proof otherwise."

"Agreed. But they might not have the whole picture. Maybe something was going on in Susan's life that they didn't know about."

"Since her best friend outside of work knew nothing about it, I'm guessing it was something to do with work," Castle mused.

"Exactly. And since she works at a bank, security is paramount. She can't talk to just anyone ... "

" ... even her friendly coworkers ... "

" ... only to the person who's the cause of the problem."

They looked at one another, both pairs of eyes widening suddenly. "The manager!" they said in unison.

"I knew there was something fishy about him," Beckett said triumphantly.

"If it smells like a fish ... "

" ... it's definitely fishy." She grinned. The phone rang and she answered it, replacing it in the cradle with a thump. "The bank records are on their way up."

Castle rubbed his eyes, leaning back in his chair and stretching. "Is any of this making sense to you?"

Beckett smirked. "Math not your strong suit, Castle?"

"I do not speak the language of numbers. If I did, I'd have become an accountant instead of a writer."

She flashed him a quick grin. "It's not really my thing either but I've had to pore through financials enough times that I've learned a thing or two."

"Money is often a motive for murder."

"More than just often. 'The love of money is the root of all evil' the Bible says, and it isn't far wrong."

"What about protection?" he asked. "Don't people kill to protect secrets?"

She nodded. "Often. But if you dig deeper you find that the secrets they're trying to protect usually have to do with money or possessions and something illegal that's been done with them."

"Don't people sometimes kill to protect the ones they love? I know I'd have no hesitation if someone threatened Alexis."

"That's not murder though. That's manslaughter - it's not premeditated. If you can prove that you and the person you were protecting were in serious danger, you'd get off. No jury would convict for that. Everyone has people close to them that they'd be willing to kill to protect."

Their eyes met and the air crackled again. She broke the look and glance down at her pages of numbers. "Pass me your papers," she said, clearing her throat. "I need to compare numbers."

She did and Castle wandered away from her desk a few steps so as not to interrupt while she worked. He dialed home.

"Dad!"

"Hey sweetheart."

"Where've you been? We miss you."

"I know honey, I miss you too. But this investigation is going slowly and it's not done yet. I'll be at work for a while - hopefully I'll be home sometime tonight."

"I hope so. Good luck."

"Thanks." He smiled.

"You can head home you know," Beckett said, having obviously overheard the conversation. "You don't have to pull another all-nighter."

"But you'll still be working, won't you?"

She smiled wryly. "When there's work to be done ...."

"Well then I'll stay and help."

"You have a family. You should go home and spend some time with them."

"You should go home and get some rest too," he said, noticing for the first time how pale she looked and how dark the circles under her eyes were.

"Go home to my empty apartment and takeout food? No thanks. I'd rather stay here and get something useful done."

"I'll join you."

She shook her head, grinning, but immediately walked to the break room and poured two cups of coffee.

*** TBC * **


	7. Chapter 7

**~ Heat Exchange: Flashpoint ~ **

_Chapter Seven ~ _

_'I'm washed away by emotions I hold deep down inside, getting stronger with time. It's living through the fire and holding on we find, that's what love is for.'_

"I think I've got something."

Beckett's excited voice broke through Castle's daydream, filling him with both anticipation and a twinge of regret. The thoughts he'd been having about them wantonly thrusting everything off her desk and getting hot and passionate had been very engrossing and he'd wanted to imagine them to their logical conclusion. It beat thinking about bank statements.

He rolled his chair over beside her. "Shoot."

"Here." She pointed at various numbers, explaining what they were and why they weren't what they were supposed to be.

"Embezzling? He was skimming a percentage of the profits off the top of the bank's investments?"

"Yup." She finally looked up.

"So if Susan found out and confronted him ... "

" ... that would give him motive to get rid of her."

"Does he have an alibi?"

"We didn't need to ask before. Now we do."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

She nodded and stood. "Let's bring him in."

"I was on my way home from work. I usually leave the office between five-thirty and six. Why?"

"Mr. Mayba, we have evidence here that shows someone was skimming money out of the bank's mutual funds. Now I doubt there are many people working for you that could get away with that without you knowing, so you either know who stole from your bank or you did it yourself."

Castle, standing several steps behind her, spoke up. "Either way, it makes you a suspect."

Mayba wasn't a good liar. His face turned red and he began to sweat as he spluttered ineffectually.

"Cut the excuses and just tell us the truth," Castle said, feeling Beckett's impatience emanating off her like a heat wave.

"Save the city the expense of sending in a forensic accounting team," Beckett said tersely. "We will find out the truth so you might as well just tell us now."

His shoulders sank.

"Did you take the money?" she asked.

He nodded.

"Did anyone help you?" Castle put in. Beckett nodded appreciatively at the insightful question.

"No, it was all my idea," Mayba said miserably. "I didn't think anyone would notice, the economy being bad and all. I thought the big bosses would just put our losses down as part of the recession. No one would care about a few thousand being gone."

"A few hundred thousand is more like."

Castle shook his head at her words and tsk'ed as if talking to a naughty child. "Never skimp on the paperwork. It'll get you every time."

"Did anyone else know you had this scheme going? Did Susan find out and tell you she was going to take you down for stealing?" Beckett's claws were out now and the suspect was starting to squirm.

"She came to me about a week ago to tell me she'd noticed some irregularities. I told her I'd look into it and that she should let it go."

"Leaving you free to do a better job of covering your tracks."

He hung his head shamefully.

"But Susan didn't leave it alone, did she?" Castle pressed, stepping forward. "She kept digging and realized you were behind it."

"I didn't kill her!" Mayba shrieked, suddenly realizing where this was going.

"Perhaps not, but you had motive and means. Unless you can find some way to prove you were on your way home from work when she was killed ... you're our best suspect."

"I didn't do it, I swear! I offered her a cut to keep quiet but I'd never kill her!"

"Did she take it?"

There was an awkward pause. "She died before she could give me an answer."

Beckett grabbed the file off the desk and stood. "I suggest you get yourself a lawyer Mr. Mayba. I think you're going to need one."

"That's bright, trying to bribe and honest person intent on snitching on you."

Beckett looked at him. "I'd lay odds she wouldn't have taken the deal."

"So he had to get rid of her to protect his little secret."

She smiled tightly. "What were we talking about earlier? It's always about money, Castle. The money situation gives him motive - "

"A couple of hundred thousand motives," he interrupted.

"Makes me thankful I don't have any money," she said. "Don't you ever worry about people trying to get their hands on yours?"

"All the time," he answered readily. "Kind of makes you wonder when women are interested in you if it's you or the money they want. But I'd trust my banker with my life. She'd never cheat or steal from me."

Beckett's mouth pursed. _ She. _ Then she shook her head, annoyed at herself for even reacting to the word. _Doesn't mean anything. Plenty of women are at the top of their field - you are yourself in fact - it doesn't mean they're sleeping with their clients._

He mistook the shake. "It's true, she'd never steal, not from anyone."

"You can't know that. Most people have a price."

"Not everyone. For some people integrity is the biggest part of who they are and they're the kind of people you can trust with anything."

"They're few and far between though," she argued.

"Perhaps. But I have several people close to me that I feel that way about. All women too, strangely enough," he added, looking at her pointedly.

She met his eyes for a second then hers dropped to the pages on her desk. "So we have motive and possibly means if he can't corroborate his story. All we need is opportunity."

"How are we going to prove that?"

"I don't know yet, but I've got a feeling ... " She stopped and stared off into the distance. Castle knew better than to interrupt. After a few minutes her eyes came back to focus on the clock. "It's after ten. Let's go home and get some rest. Start fresh in the morning."

"Are you inviting me home with you?" he asked, eyes sparkling as they rose from their chairs and headed toward the elevator.

"You know what I meant," she retorted, frowning.

"I know, I know. Meet here first thing tomorrow morning, right?"

"Don't you ever actually work, Castle? I thought you were a writer. Surely you've followed me around long enough that you have plenty of material for Nikki Heat, should you want to write more novels. It's like this hanging out with me is becoming a hobby."

"You know what they say Detective, all work and no play ... "

She snorted and stepped out of the elevator ahead of him. "Play is a four-letter word."

She was quiet as they stood in the still-noisy street, waiting for cabs.

"Are you okay?" Castle asked.

"Fine," she said quickly. "It's just - " She stopped dead, as if afraid to say more.

"It's just - " he prompted.

"These cases are hard for me. Ones with children. It reminds me ... "

" ... of your mother. Understandable."

She looked up at him then back down to the street. "I need to get it solved quickly. Abbey deserves that. She deserves to get closure and to be able to move on."

"You're still looking for that, aren't you?" he said softly, voice laden with concern.

The cab pulled up beside them and her mouth twitched. "It's been ten years. I've had little choice but to move on. But yes, closure would be nice." She opened the door and looked back at him. "I'm not holding my breath though."

Impulsively, he reached out and covered her hand. Sparks flew and their eyes tangled.

"Is it okay if ... " she gestured at the cab. "I mean, if you want to go, I can wait ... "

"No, you go ahead. I'll walk."

"It's at least ten blocks."

"I know. I need the exercise and fresh air."

"But it's after ten. You'd be safer taking a cab."

"I'll be fine. I'd be more worried about you walking alone at this time of night."

"One o' you gonna get in, or what?" the cabbie demanded in a testy voice.

Castle backed away. "Go ahead. I'll see you tomorrow." And because she still didn't look convinced, he added, "I'll call you when I get home if it'll make you feel better, okay?"

She nodded and pulled the door shut. He put his hands in his pockets and began to stroll the other way, a foolish grin lighting up his face.

The walk was a pleasant, if cool, one. The autumn air, still a little warm, held a chill that told of the coming winter. Castle welcomed it. There was little as oppressive as the crowded streets of New York city in August.

His eyes, ever observant, swept the streets. The large numbers of people still out could give one a sense of false security, particularly visitors to the city who didn't know the New Yorkers' "hear nothing, see nothing," creed. Castle didn't feel particularly worried; he was more likely to be accosted for his autograph than for his wallet, though there was a first time for everything.

_Falling in love?_ He frowned, wondering why his subconscious had gone there. Yes, he'd been in love before but it had been a long time ago, and not with either of the women he'd married. Upon reflection, he often wondered why he'd married them. Certainly not because they'd ever had anything in common other than love of fame. He didn't regret the union that had created Alexis, but he had often wished that someday he'd find another soulmate like Kyra had been.

_Why do you think you're still sticking with Kate Beckett?_

"She's a good detective. She knows her job and does it well," he said aloud. No one paid him any mind.

_Yeah, but you could have asked to shadow one of the other detectives in the precinct; hang out with a different team. Why her? _

"Because she's easy on the eyes?" It was true but it wasn't the real reason. He'd felt a connection with her right from the start. She hadn't fawned over him like other women did. She gave him a hard time and proved that she was able to give as good as she got. They thought the same way, were on the same wavelength and frequently finished each other's sentences. If he were to be completely honest with himself, Castle would have to admit he found her mind to be the sexiest part of her and loved the way he felt when they were working together. It was like a drug and he'd become addicted immediately. He'd wanted more after those first days ... still did. After so long shadowing her, he had all of the details he needed for more Nikki Heat novels, but he just couldn't bear the thought of not seeing her anymore.

_It's love. One of these days you'll admit it to yourself, and then to her._

This time he didn't answer his subconscious.

It was long past eleven and he was lying in bed nearly asleep when his phone rang. _Uh oh, she's going to kill you,_ was his first thought when he saw Beckett's name flashing across the display.

"Hey," he said nonchalantly.

"Castle!"

"That's me."

"Are you okay?"

"Fine."

"You were supposed to call." He knew her well enough to detect the worry under the anger in her voice.

"I'm sorry. I got home and Alexis needed some help with her homework. I went to bed and started reading and ... I forgot. I apologize."

"Forget it. Just remember to call next time. I like to make sure my team is okay."

He grinned. "Yes ma'am."

"Give it a rest, Castle. And it's mademoiselle, not ma'am."

"Good night Detective. I'll see you in the morning."

"Don't be late."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

He put the phone back on the night table and lay back, smiling widely. Yes, Kate Beckett was definitely a drug, and he was addicted. Fatally.

*** TBC ***


	8. Chapter 8

**~ Heat Exchange: Flashpoint ~**

_Chapter Eight ~ _

_'Dreams need to have motion to keep their spark alive. Obsession has to have action.'_

_XXXXX_

Mrs Mayba was a small, dark-haired woman. Very intense, Castle thought inwardly. She seemed amiable enough now but there was a glint in her eye that told him she'd be a bad person to cross.

"Mrs Mayba, was your husband home between six and seven pm on Tuesday night?"

"Tuesday … what day is it today? Friday?" she murmured to herself. "Tuesday was quiche night. No! He was late getting home and dinner was ruined." Her eyes flashed fire; Castle took it down mentally - he was always searching for new characters and character traits for his books and real life provided more than his imagination could ever come up with. He enjoyed observing people and mentally storing away things he planned on using one day.

"Was he often late?"

"Not usually. It happened once or twice a month."

"When did he get home on Tuesday night?"

"Almost eight. I was so angry with him we fought the rest of the evening."

"Did he call to let you know he'd be late?"

"No, and when I tried to call him he didn't answer his phone. Said he'd been in a meeting and couldn't be disturbed." Her lips drew together into a thin line. "Does this mean you don't suspect him of killing the woman who worked for him?"

"Only if we can confirm the meeting."

"He didn't do it. I'm sure he didn't. My David would never hurt anyone."

Beckett smiled noncommittally. "Thank you for your help Mrs Mayba."

The woman nodded and left. Beckett and Castle turned to one another.

"He did it."

"He didn't do it."

She frowned. "What? What makes you think he didn't do it?"

"The meeting excuse is flimsy."

"Of course it is. He's lying to cover up the murder."

"I think he's having an affair."

Her eyebrows rose skyward and her hands flew to her hips. "How do you make that out? We have no evidence to suggest … "

"Gut feeling."

"Great. A gut feeling. And I'm supposed to trust your gut feelings based on - "

"Experience."

The silence was uncomfortable.

"One of your wives cheated on you?" Beckett asked, voice soft and uncharacteristically compassionate.

He nodded. "As the saying goes, 'been there, done that.' I know what to look for."

"I'm sorry Castle."

"Don't be. I'm not pining." He grinned his most endearing boyish grin, making her smile.

"Well, whether your theory is right or not, we have to check his alibi."

"Check, check and double check."

"And then double check again. That's how the job works, you should know that by now." She walked purposefully back to her desk. "But just for the record, I think you're wrong. I think Mayba's our killer."

Castle sat heavily in the guest chair, sitting back and crossing his legs. "And what do you base _that_ on, Detective?"

"A gut feeling."

His mouth opened in silent surprise. "Double standards," he muttered.

She grinned.

**XXXXX**

"Beckett."

"Oh hi Alexis. How are you?"

"Fine. You know, if you're looking for your dad … really? Okay. Sure. Yeah tonight's good. I'll pick you up at seven."

"No problem. See you tonight."

Castle's right eyebrow arched as he walked into earshot. "Hot date tonight?" he asked.

"You bet."

"With whom?"

She stared at him challengingly. "Exactly how is this your business?"

Her eyes held him like a vies and Castle could feel his cheeks getting warm. "It's not. I'm sorry. Forget I asked."

"I will." She turned back to her computer screen.

"So, what's on the agenda next?"

"Ryan and Esposito have gone to pick up Mayba. It's time we applied a little more pressure."

"And see if he snaps - " The pencil he was illustrating with did just that, much to his surprise. "Oops, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to … "

"Has anyone ever told you how incredibly irritating you are? Besides me, I mean?" Beckett grabbed both ends of the pencil and threw them into her desk drawer with an exasperated sigh. "I must have been a very bad girl in a previous life to end up with you as my karma."

He leaned forward. "You could be a very bad girl in this life too."

She grinned. "Dream on, Castle. You couldn't possibly have been good enough in _your_ previous lives to deserve me."

She was leaning forward now too, a teasing grin on her lips and he could almost feel her breath on his face. "Ouch. You're so cruel to me."

"You deserve it."

He made a so-so gesture with his head. "Yeah, you're probably right."

She laughed out loud.

**XXXXX**

Castle sat out Mayba's second grilling. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy observing Beckett do her thing up close, but he was feeling rather unnecessary and knew he'd just end up sitting there silently while she worked her suspect. Either that or he'd disagree with her and she'd blow up at him. Either way, it was best he avoided it. Besides, there was something that was niggling at the back of his mind - something had been said that had triggered his unconscious mind. If only he could get his conscious mind to pull that file out ….

He sat in front of the white board as she all-too often did, letting his eyes wash over all the details and allowing osmosis to do the rest. There was something he was missing and this was the way to find it.

Half an hour later Beckett came storming back to her desk, picking up the phone without saying a word. She made three calls in rapid succession; one to Mayba's supervisor, one to Esposito to pick up the man he'd allegedly been meeting with during the murder, and one down to booking to officially charge him.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Castle asked slowly. "We haven't broken his alibi yet - "

"We will. He did it. I can feel it. I'm not waiting around on this one."

"What if he didn't do it?"

She glared at him, arms akimbo. "Do you have another suspect? A verifiable story that isn't just your overactive imagination playing games with me? Because if you don't, Mayba's all we've got. I'm not letting him slip away."

"No, of course not. It's just …. " He stopped and frowned. "I don't know what it is. There's still something we're missing, I'm sure of it."

"Sleep? A chance to take a few days off and breathe? Coffee?"

He smiled appreciatively at her use of his humour. "Definitely coffee."

**XXXXX**

The interview with the bank's big bosses was about as boring as Castle expected it to be. Esposito and Ryan had excused themselves, telling Beckett they were going to double check Susan's phone records and credit card receipts. He hadn't been so quick and she'd dragged him in with her before he could protest.

"So you weren't aware of this money disappearing," Beckett asked as the interview drew to a close.

"No. It was taken rather cleverly and our accountants wouldn't have looked too carefully until audit time next month. Money goes in and out of mutual funds like tides coming and going; we don't tend to take much notice of the day-to-day ups and downs."

"I understand. But do you think your accountants would have caught this when they did do their yearly audit?"

The two grey-haired gentlemen looked at one another. "I should think so. At first glance it's not very obvious but they are very thorough and wouldn't have missed this. Our Board of Directors and shareholders demand that every penny be accounted for."

"So in roughly a month's time, Mayba would have been found out and prosecuted for embezzlement."

"Absolutely."

**XXXXX**

"Mayba can't possibly have been stupid enough to think he wouldn't get caught."

Beckett was scornful. "Don't assume all criminals are as smart as you are Castle. There's a reason we put them in jail and you end up on the New York Times bestseller list."

"But if he thought he was going to get away with it, murdering a coworker was definitely the wrong thing to do," Ryan said. "It just throws suspicion on him. He might have thought he'd get away with the theft under normal circumstances, but he had to know that a murder investigation would cause a more thorough look into the bank's affairs."

"Not necessarily," Esposito objected. "Not if he really is that stupid."

"Argue all you want. The son of a bitch killed that little girl's mother and I'm going to get him for it."

All three of them watched as Beckett stalked off.

"Do you think she's - " Castle ventured.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Me too."

He turned to face them. "Who's going to tell Montgomery?"

"You are," they said together, grinning.

"Damn."

**XXXXX**

"So what do you want me to do?" Montgomery asked helplessly. "Pull her off the case?"

"I don't know sir. She's just … really determined to nail it on Mayba. I've never seen her so single-minded. It's not like her to not consider all of the possibilities. Hell, she usually even listens to my off-the-wall ideas. This time she's dead certain she's got the culprit but without having definitive proof. I think she just wants to close the case as soon as possible." He swallowed hard. "I think she's using it as a replacement for her mother's case - one she never did solve."

"Detectives can't put personal feelings ahead of their job. If her judgement is compromised she'll have to be removed from the case. I'll have a talk with her."

"Thank you sir."

"Don't thank me, Castle. Go home and put on some armour. She's going to know who tipped me off and hell is going to rain down on you."

*** TBC ***


	9. Chapter 9

**~ Heat Exchange: Flashpoint ~ **

_Chapter Nine ~_

_'All the fear of the future, all the loneliness inside. When the moment of truth arrives, hey, you can run but you can't hide.'_

**XXXXX**

The intercom buzzed and Alexis flew down the stairs. " 'Bye dad, I'll be home soon."

"Hey, hey, hey, where are you off to and do I get to know who you're going out with?"

"That's 'whom' dad and no. You're just going to have to trust me on this one."

Castle pouted. "I thought we didn't have any secrets between us."

The intercom buzzed again and Alexis pushed the button. "I'll be right down." She turned back to her father. "I wanted to talk with someone - a female someone," she added, forestalling the comment she saw him about to make, "so I asked Detective Beckett if she had a few minutes to talk."

A light dawned in his eyes as he realized this was the hot date Beckett had been hiding from him. "So why isn't she coming up to say hi?"

"Don't you two see enough of each other all day? Especially these last few days; this case has had you guys working all hours. Besides, she called to confirm earlier and told me she was going to kill you if she saw you so I told her I'd come down to meet her. I don't know what you did to tick her off but she seems awfully mad."

Castle bit his lip. "It's a long story. Run along; you don't want to keep her waiting or she might decide to work off some of her ire on you."

She gave him a quick peck on the cheek. " 'Bye dad."

" 'Bye sweetheart. Have a good talk."

He retired back to his office to the unfinished chapter he'd already been struggling with earlier but his mind was now full of Kate Beckett rather than Nikki Heat (sometimes he had to work at it to keep them separated in his mind) and concentration was nearly nil.

"Writer's block bothering you darling?" Martha said, perching on the edge of his desk and looking pointedly at the computer, a good two feet away from where he reclined in his chair.

He took a deep breath. "Beckett's angry with me."

"It's not the first time and I dare say it won't be the last. I imagine you can be rather trying on her patience at times."

"I know, but this is different. It's a matter of policy, not me just being a pain in her …. well, you know."

"What happened?"

"I talked to Montgomery about her behaviour on this case."

"You went behind her back up the chain of command and told on her? Oh Richard, that's not a good thing."

"I know, and normally I would never do such a thing, but … " He explained the situation.

"You feel she's not being objective and is letting her feelings guide her down the wrong path."

"Exactly. This case reminds her of her mother's murder and she's letting her emotions guide her to what I think is the wrong conclusion."

"Has it ever crossed your mind that you might be the one who's wrong?"

"Of course, mother. But this time she's not even willing to talk. She's got the guy and she's not willing to explore anything further. That's not like her."

"Do you feel strongly about this?"

Castle sat up. "Yes I do."

"Then you did the right thing. Stand by your actions and don't worry that she's angry with you. You two will weather this storm and come out of it just fine."

"You think so?"

"I know so." She leaned over and pecked his cheek. "Now why don't we order some supper? Neither of us has eaten yet and I'm starved."

A light went on in his brain and it was as if the fog he'd been trying to think through had been lifted. He knew what it was they'd missed.

"That's it."

"That's what?"

"I've got it!" He jumped out of his chair excitedly. "I've got to call Beckett."

"You really want to interrupt her chat with Alexis? One very important woman in your life is already upset with you, you want to upset another one?"

He deflated slightly. "You might be right. Hey, how come everyone knew about this little chat but me?"

**XXXXX**

"So what's on your mind Alexis?" Beckett smiled.

"Are you sure you're okay with this? I mean, I know you're mad at my dad - "

"You are not your dad. Yes, I'm mad at him, but I'm putting that aside until tomorrow. Right now I'm all yours."

"Well, it's about … " Her cheeks coloured delicately. " … Shawn."

"Ah. Your boyfriend."

"Well not exactly. Not yet anyway."

"But you're thinking of going there." Alexis nodded at her words. "And you're wondering about sex."

The girl's cheeks darkened.

"It's okay Alexis. It's perfectly normal to think about those things at your age."

"Is it normal to do them?"

Beckett's mouth opened in surprise. "Have you - ?"

"No, no!" Alexis shook her head vehemently. "Of course not!" She sounded shocked at the very thought.

"Good. That's very good." Beckett let out a relieved breath, her own cheeks beginning to burn.

"Why? Is it a bad thing? I mean, I always thought … "

"No, of course it isn't bad. I just … don't think it's something you should be doing yet. You're too young."

" A lot of girls I know are. There's nothing wrong with it, as long as you use protection, is there?"

The older woman drew in a long, slow breath before answering. "No, there's nothing wrong with sex. It's normal, necessary, and can be a very wonderful experience. In its place."

"Where exactly is that place?" Alexis asked curiously.

Beckett smiled nervously. "Everyone has a different opinion about that. There is no definite time and place when it's suddenly okay. But you asked me here to tell you_ my_ thought so here they are. Sex is an amazing act two people can share that can bring them extraordinarily close to one another, regardless of whether or not they're doing it for procreation or recreation. But I don't believe it's something that should happen between two people who aren't very close already. It exists as an extension to a close emotional relationship, not in place of it."

"So what you're saying is people shouldn't do it until they've been together for a while and know each other well."

"Well, yes, that's what I believe. Many people don't agree with me, but that's how I live. But it's not even just about knowing one another. It's about trust. When you share yourself completely with someone - mind and body - you cross a line that can't be crossed back. It's a step you take that can only take you forwards and you have to be sure you're ready for it and that you can trust that the other person is ready to move forward too. Sex isn't the end goal of a relationship, merely a step along the way. You need to know the other person is going to stay committed to you and not walk away after you've done it. You know what I mean?"

"I think so."

"It's like two people who work together and are friends suddenly realizing they have feelings for one another. They have to be so careful and so sure before taking their relationship to the next step because once that line has been crossed it can't be taken back. Having to work with and spend every day with someone you've shared intimate times with after it's over can be extremely difficult and painful. It's not something you should just do on a whim, no matter how strong the pull to do so is." Beckett was breathing a little hard and there was some warmth in her cheeks by the time she was done her piece.

Alexis stared at her steadily and smiled. "Are we still talking about me and Shawn?"

Beckett's cheeks turned several shades redder. "Sort of."

The young girl's smile widened. "Well I'm glad you shared that with me. It'll help me figure out what to do about Shawn, and it helps explain what's going on between you and my dad."

"Nothing's going on," Beckett protested.

"Now I know why."

Beckett crossed her arms with a humph. "You are just like your father. Way too perceptive for your own good."

"I like you just as much as he does and I hope one day you two do decide to cross that line. I think it'll be the right thing for both of you."

"Don't tell me the thought of your father having sex doesn't embarrass you, please! You can't be that abnormal."

"I try not to think about the details," Alexis grinned.

"So do I."

**XXXXX**

Castle practically pounced on his daughter when he heard her enter the apartment. "You're back!"

"It's not like it was a date dad. We weren't going to be staying out late."

"Good." He whipped out his phone and hit speed dial #2. Then he swallowed hard as he heard her voice on the line.

"What is it Castle? Is Alexis okay. I just dropped her off."

"She's fine. It's fine. It's all fine."

"So what's the problem?" Her voice was cold.

"I've solved the case!" he said triumphantly. "Well I've figured out what we were missing. So we can solve it now."

"We've already got our man. I'm on my way home and I - "

"No, wait, please!" He was desperate. "When do you eat supper?"

There silence was filled with unspoken irritation. "Why?"

"When do you eat? Supper? What time?"

"Whenever I can. I work strange hours, remember?"

"But when you're not working, when do you usually eat?"

"I don't know, five-thirty? Maybe six? Why?"

"People with children have to make sure they're fed regularly. Children's stomachs are smaller and they eat more often - they can't skip meals like we do. I can't imagine a parent of an seven-year-old child not having something ready for supper by six-thirty. The child would be starving. yet when we got to Susan's apartment, the kitchen was spotless. No prepared food, no dishes, nothing cooking … if she was going to feed Abbey before going to the movie, as all good parents do, what was she going to give her?"

Her paused for dramatic effect but Beckett was right there with him. "The pizza delivery guys," she said in a low, tight voice.

"Exactly! Did she order pizza that night?"

Silence.

"I can't remember offhand. Head downstairs, I'll be back to pick you up in a few minutes and we'll go back to the station and check."

He hung up and smiled at Alexis and Martha, both hanging on his every word. "I know, I'm brilliant. She really doesn't know how lucky she is to have me."

"Well I hope your revelation solves the case because it's going to have to be awfully big to get you out of the doghouse, Richard."

He hung his head theatrically. "Woof."

Alexis hugged him. "Good luck dad. I'm sure whatever it is, she'll forgive you."

"I hope so, because I suspect the doghouse is going to be pretty chilly. I hear it's dropping down to forty tonight."

Martha picked up a throw from the couch. "Have a blanket."

*** TBC ***


	10. Chapter 10

**~ Heat Exchange: Flashpoint ~**

_Chapter Ten ~_

_"One in a million are the odds we face. One in a million that's a chance I'll take. 'Cause when the moment comes I'll take that chance with you."_

*** * * XXXXX**

"Here it is," Beckett said, holding up a page of phone numbers.

"Cellphone or landline?

"Landline."

"Phew." Esposito rubbed his brow. "Not my mistake then."

"I don't know how I missed it," she said frowning.

"You weren't looking for it," Castle said. "You were looking for work numbers, friends numbers … not pizza delivery."

"So you were right, there was a pizza delivery, but how does that tie in to the murder? Did the delivery guy kill her, and if so, why?"

"We didn't find any connections to anyone in pizza delivery. Guys, check the phone records again and see how often she ordered pizza. Maybe there's a connection to a specific pizza place and deliveryman."

"Farfetched," Castle said absently, staring out the window.

"You have a better idea?"

"Random act of violence?"

"Nuh uh." Beckett shook her head firmly. "A guy pulling a gun at a school or a crowded McDonalds and blowing away half the patrons I'll buy as a random act of violence. Guy doesn't wait for a pizza order, go up to an apartment and kill a woman he doesn't even know. It doesn't make sense."

They were silent for a few moments as Beckett added the new information to the white board. "So how does it fit in?" she asked herself, leaning back against the nearest desk.

"Coincidence?"

"I don't believe in them. There must be _something_."

Castle snapped his fingers. "Maybe the guy was there but he wasn't the one who killed her."

"Great. Make it even more complicated than it already is." She sighed. "Maybe it really is a coincidence and Mayba is still our guy."

"Have we confirmed the meeting yet?"

"Can't get a hold of the other guy. When we do, I suspect he'll tell us what we already know; there was no meeting that night."

"Got it," Ryan called out, walking over to them. "Pizza Hotline. Susan ordered from them once a month like clockwork."

"Movie night," Castle and Beckett said in unison, looking at one another.

" - her credit card confirms she purchased from them regularly - "

" - and the doorman's statement about pizza delivery guys fits. One of them was from Pizza Hotline during the time frame of the murder," Esposito finished.

"Get down there and find that delivery guy," Beckett ordered. "Even if he didn't have anything to do with the murder, he was there. He might be a witness."

"On our way."

She turned back to Castle, who was beaming from ear to ear. "Thank you for the help," she said with a brief smile, "but don't think this makes us square."

His smile fell. "I'm sorry. I just thought … it seemed as if … I was probably wrong and shouldn't have said anything. It just seemed like you were … "

" … too eager to get this case solved and not able to see the bigger picture?"

His shoulders slumped. "Yeah."

Beckett leaned against her desk and crossed her arms over her chest. "You were right. I was acting too hastily and not doing my due diligence," she admitted. "I just wanted so much to get it figured out for Abbey. She may not care too much to know the details of what happened now, but she will someday. I know she will. And it'll be easier for her to move on if she has that closure behind her."

"I wish I could give that to you," he said softly. "You're obviously still missing it very much."

She smiled sadly. "You've tried Castle. Despite my prickliness you went ahead and tried to figure it out for yourself. It's not your fault it's a stubborn case and the trail has gone stone cold in ten years. You may not always do the right thing but your heart's always in the right place."

He moved a step closer, right into her personal space. "I'm pretty sure the right place is wherever you are."

She flushed. "That's very poetic. Who knew you were such a romantic?"

"Aren't all writers romantic by their very nature?"

She took a step and closed the short distance between them. "You write about people killing and dismembering other people," she whispered. "How romantic is that?" The room suddenly seemed very warm.

"Murder brings people together like nothing else," he countered in an equally low, husky voice.

She looked into his eyes then hers wandered down to his mouth. She hadn't even processed the thought when her body began to move and suddenly their lips were touching. His eyes closed and hers followed suit, ready to surrender herself to the kiss she'd been waiting months for.

"We got him," Ryan's voice called out as footsteps grew closer to them. "The guy who delivered the pizza … oh."

They stopped dead and Beckett quickly pulled away from Castle, cheeks flaming.

"Oh my, are we interrupting?"

She hastily crossed her hands over her chest and moved back a step. "No. Go ahead."

"This is Manny Gutierrez. He's a law student who works at Pizza Hotline on weekends and some evenings."

Beckett nodded at him, sizing him up quickly. "Let's take this to the interview room." Castle followed her in and sat down with her across from Manny. Ryan and Esposito waited outside.

"Do you recognize this woman?" She pushed a photo of Susan's body in front of the man.

He put his head in his hands and moaned. "Oh god, she's dead, isn't she?"

"Mr Gutierrez, I need you to answer the question."

"Yes, I recognize her," he said, voice cracking and shaking. "Mrs Armstrong."

Castle frowned. The vibe he was getting from the young man bothered him. "From where?"

"I deliver pizza to her place sometimes. She's a nice lady, soft-spoken and polite. Always tips well. Used to tip well," he added.

"Did you deliver to her on Tuesday this past week?" Beckett asked.

Manny wiped his sweaty brow. "Yes. I was supposed to, but … "

"But what?"

"But I … she … " He closed his eyes, seemingly unable to talk about it.

"You're going to have to tell us what happened Manny. We need to know what happened to Susan Armstrong."

"Start from the beginning and don't leave anything out," Castle encouraged.

The young man drew in a deep breath and clasped his hands together. "Receiving gets the orders in and posts them up for the drivers. I saw Susan Armstrong's order and I took it. Like I said, she was a very polite, kind woman. Many people aren't. They think anyone who delivers pizza for a living must be a low-life scum who can't get a better job and they treat us accordingly."

"So why do you work there?" Castle asked.

Manny shrugged. "The money. Do you know how much it costs to put yourself through law school? Even with maximum student loans I couldn't make ends meet. Yes, the job is shitty sometimes but the pay is good and the hours are flexible and work with my school schedule."

"Go back to Tuesday night," Beckett said tersely.

"I was looking forward to seeing her. A nice smile, a kind word asking how I'm doing and a modest tip. It was going to be the perk of the evening for me. Always was when I delivered to her." He smiled at the memory. "The doorman let me in after I buzzed to let her know supper was here and I rode up the elevator."

"Did she answer the door?"

"Sure. She was all smiles. She let me in and we chatted for a minute."

"About what?"

Manny closed his eyes, perhaps reliving the moment. "The apartment smelled like lemon. I told her it smelled good. Clean. She said she'd just washed the floors."

"Sounds pretty innocent," Castle murmured.

"So what happened next? Did you kill her? Who was she to you? What did you think you'd gain by getting rid of her?"

"No, no! It wasn't like that!" Manny covered his face again and began to cry openly. "It was an accident." His voice broke on the last word and he wept. "It was an accident," he repeated in a broken whisper.

"What did you do Manny?" Castle asked in a low voice.

He removed his hands and looked at them both. "I didn't do anything."

"So what happened?"

"She turned and walked back into the kitchen … to get her wallet I suppose, and she slipped and fell. Honest to God, her legs suddenly flew up into the air and she fell backwards. She hit her head on the corner of the counter, so hard I could hear something crack." He flinched. "She hit the ground and there was blood everywhere. She never moved, not even to blink. My God, I was so scared! I knelt down and I was going to feel for her pulse to see if she was okay, then my mind clicked. _ 'Don't leave fingerprints on the body. What if she's dead? They'll think you did it.'_ "

"Why would anyone think that? Do you have some other connection to the woman that you're not telling us about?"

Manny shook his head vehemently. "No. It's just … I'm Hispanic. And a pizza delivery guy. People automatically suspect us when there's a crime. Police like to close their cases quickly and easily - " Beckett had the grace to blush. " - and sometimes they pick the stereotypical criminal type without worrying about evidence. They decide who did it and then find evidence to support their case. I wasn't willing to take that chance."

"So what did you do, Manny?" Castle asked.

"I ran. I got the hell out before anyone saw me and the body together. Even if I wasn't arrested for the crime, having my name out there in connection with a homicide would kill my chances at a law degree." He hung his head. "It was cowardly, but I was only thinking about saving myself."

The three of them sat in silence for a lengthy minute.

"You're having difficulty keeping it together to tell us the story now, four days later. How did you manage to finish your shift without breaking down?"

"I didn't," he said simply. "I called my boss and told him I was sick. I went home and threw up and then I don't remember what happened the rest of the night. I think I was in shock."

"What about the pizza? You were delivering a pizza to Susan Armstrong but it wasn't there when we found the body."

"Can you believe it? I still had it under my arm. I'd completely forgotten I was carrying it. I gave it to my neighbour when I got in. Told her I wasn't well and couldn't eat it."

Castle looked over at Beckett and could practically see the wheels turning. _Check with neighbour._

"So, Mr Gutierrez, what you're telling us is that Susan Armstrong's death was an accident from a fall on a slippery floor."

"That's exactly what I'm telling you. Nobody killed her, it was an accident."

*** TBC ***


	11. Chapter 11

**~ Heat Exchange: Flashpoint ~**

_Chapter Eleven ~_

_'Behind the finer feelings, the civilized veneer. Heart of the lonely hunter guards a dangerous frontier.'_

*** * * XXXXX**

Beckett felt as though someone had punched her in the gut. It was one of the most anticlimactic moments of her career. She hung behind in the interrogation room while Esposito and Ryan led Manny away to get the details of his story verified. She felt a comforting hand squeeze her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Castle asked.

She turned to face him. "It was an accident. And I was willing to convict an innocent man of first-degree murder because I _wanted_ to believe he did it. What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing's wrong with you Kate, you just let your emotions get in the way of your job."

"I'm not supposed to let my emotions get in the way," she countered fiercely, frowning at him though he wasn't the one she was angry at.

"You wouldn't be human if you didn't," he said gently. "Sometimes emotions are too big to keep inside and we have to just let them out."

Their eyes locked and a tingle ran down her spine. Castle lifted a hand and touched her cheek gently and the connection felt like a jolt of electricity coursing through her body.

"I nearly cost a man his freedom," she whispered.

"But you didn't. You figured it out and now you'll be able to keep that promise you made to Abbey."

"Only thanks to you. I wouldn't have figured it out without your help, Castle."

"We're a team. We're in this together." He smiled. "Like Starsky and Hutch. Cagney and Lacey. Miami and Vice."

"You come in here wearing a white suit and a pastel pink shirt and I will kill you myself. That's a promise."

He nodded. "Gotcha." They both seemed to notice his hand hadn't left her face at the same time. He pulled it back but not before noticing her cheek was very warm. "After you, detective," he said, gesturing for her to leave the room. "We have a case to close."

*** * * XXXXX**

"Well that pretty much clinches it," she said, walking into the break room and grabbing Castle's cup of coffee right out of his hand and draining it. Ryan and Esposito snickered.

"Hey!"

She handed it back to him. "Garber, the man Mayba was supposed to be in a meeting with on Tuesday? Says there was no meeting."

"Surprise, surprise," Castle put in dryly.

"But," she added deliberately, "he says he often did Mayba the favour of pretending a meeting when he needed a convenient excuse." She looked directly at Castle. "It seems you were right. He's having an affair with his secretary."

"It was pretty obvious."

"His wife isn't going to be pleased," Ryan observed with a grimace. "Cheating on her, embezzling from the bank … "

"If I were him, I'd pray for jail time," Castle said, holding his hands up like claws. "She's one scary woman."

"Let's go pick up the secretary. Once we confirm the affair, we can let Mayba go and begin the paperwork."

Ryan held his arms up. "I've got a tentative date with Jenny, if you guys can spare me."

"Go ahead. We'll take care of it."

"Thanks bud." He clapped Esposito on the shoulder. "See you guys in the morning."

"Let's go Castle. You can be Ryan tonight."

Beckett rolled her eyes. "Don't have too much fun in Esposito's car. Whatever you do, don't touch the GPS."

Esposito frowned at her. "Why'd you tell him - "

"You have GPS?" Castle asked, eyes widening like a little boy in a toy shop.

"Now you've done it."

Beckett's laughter rang in their ears as they left the station.

*** * * XXXXX**

_He kissed you Kate. Kissed! _ Her head reeled at the thought. _You liked it. You're the one who initiated it after all. _ Suddenly her body felt warm all over and she pushed Susan's file aside, dropping all pretense of working.

"God Castle, what have you done to me?" she murmured to herself, beginning to twine a strand of hair around her finger. She knew full well what was going on. The initial physical attraction between them was something no one could deny, but she'd been loathe to give in to it too soon. Her words to Alexis had been heartfelt; sex with just anyone was okay but she really preferred to share it with someone she clicked with on all levels, not just the physical. She'd needed time to get to know Richard Castle, and despite his initial arrogant bastard attitude, she'd discovered a sweet, generous and sometimes even a little insecure soul lurking inside him. But more importantly, he was her intellectual equal. A man as good at solving difficult puzzles as she was, who could spar with her verbally like no one she'd ever known, and who could wield a piece of rarely-used punctuation as well as he wore an Armani suit.

But the best thing of all, ironically enough, was also the thing that bugged her the most - his playfulness. Her life was tough; always dealing with death, grief, lies, and the worst part of human nature, and having him around made it a little more fun and gave her a reason to smile.

_I like him. I like him a lot_. And then her inner self made another admission, one that surprised her. _ I want to kiss him again. I want this to go somewhere._

*** * * XXXXX**

"You won't tell anyone, will you?"

Beckett had no sympathy for the woman. Having an affair with a married man was near the top of her list of 'Stupid Things You Can Do To Ruin Your Life' but crying and begging not to get into trouble once you were found out was even worse.

"I'm sorry Crystal. The facts of the case may end up being publicized. I have no control over that. At the very least, Mrs Mayba is going to find out. She deserves to know what her husband has been up to."

Crystal buried her face in her hands. "I don't know what I was thinking," she sobbed.

Beckett held up a hand to silence Castle, knowing full well what he was about to say. "I'll just need you to sign this witness statement and then you're free to go."

"You aren't going to keep me here? I'm not in trouble?"

"We don't punish people for making bad moral choices," Beckett said, a trace of acerbity in her words. Castle smirked.

"So that's that," she said, crossing her arms as they led the secretary out. "All we have to do is confirm with Lanie that the wound is consistent with Manny's story, finish up the paper work, and tell Abbey what really happened."

He watched her narrowly. "You're looking forward to that last part, aren't you?"

She faced him. "Yes I am. I promised we'd find out what happened to her mother and we did. Keeping promises is important to me. Besides, I'm glad it wasn't murder. It's hard enough losing a parent without knowing someone actively intended to end their life. Abbey will have difficulty adjusting but one day she'll wake up and find the pain has been woven into the tapestry of her life and is just a small part of the greater picture."

"Just like you did."

She smiled. "Hopefully it won't take her as long."

*** TBC ***


	12. Chapter 12

**~ Heat Exchange: Flashpoint ~**

_Chapter Twelve ~_

_'Melt our defences, bring us back to our senses, give us strength to try once more, baby that's what love is for.'_

"Good morning sweetheart," Castle said, dropping a kiss on Alexis's head as she made her way into the kitchen.

"Morning dad," she said cheerfully, always a morning person.

They made breakfast in silence, then sat together at the island to eat. "So, what's on the agenda for today?" he asked.

"I have a french test fourth period and then drama club after school. Oh, and Grams and I are going out shopping and to dinner tonight - you don't mind?"

He shook his head, smiling. "Of course not. Girls' night out. I understand. Just don't tax my credit cards too much, okay?"

"I promise." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks dad. Oh, and thanks for not prying."

"Prying?"

"Asking me about my conversation with Beckett."

"I'd completely forgotten about it, we've been so busy with the case."

She glared at him playfully. "You are a terrible liar. You have not forgotten."

He threw his arms up in the air. "How come you women can all read me so well? Am I that transparent?"

She smiled. "Yes. But we love you that way. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I've decided not to see Shawn anymore."

"Oh really? Why?"

"I just think things are moving a little too quickly. He's a nice guy and all, but I'm not ready for anything more than a casual date or two."

Castle leaned over and hugged his daughter hard, making a mental note to thank Beckett for her words of wisdom. "I'm glad you've come to that decision. It's good to know yourself and know what you want."

She smiled slyly at him. "Maybe it's time you did a little soul searching to figure out what_ you_ want."

"Trust me Alexis, I know exactly what I want."

She leaned in and whispered, "I'm pretty sure it's what she wants too. Go for it."

The crime scene hadn't been touched since they'd left it several days earlier, but it had a completely different feel now. The malevolence was gone; all that was left was a sense of sorrow, of loss. Castle wondered how much of that was emanating from his partner. He knew she was pleased to be closing the case but there was a haunted look in her eyes that he recognized from the last time her mother's murder had been brought to the forefront.

"Castle, I need you to be Manny." Beckett's voice brought him back to the present where they, along with Lanie, were reconstructing the crime.

"Where do you want me?"

She consulted Manny's deposition. "Over there. On the carpet, just a few steps in from the door."

Castle moved obligingly and watched as Beckett mimicked Susan's actions. Lanie caught her as she fell backwards towards the counter, and did a few measurements, all the while talking to herself.

"So … is Manny's story plausible?" Beckett asked eagerly.

"Very much so. Susan's wounds are definitely consistent with a fall into the corner of the counter. It was just bad luck that she hit the wrong part of her head and died instantly. If she'd landed just a little further over the EMT's might have been able to keep her alive and surgeons might have saved her with minimal brain damage."

"Well, what might have been isn't an option," Beckett said softly, "no matter how much we might like it to be."

"Are you okay?" Castle asked her once they'd left the apartment and returned to the car.

"Yeah, I'm okay." She paused, started the car and cleared her throat. "It just seems so pointless, you know? Losing someone so important to you to a freak accident like that."

He didn't say the firs thing that came into his mind. Instead, he said, "can I come with you when you tell Abbey what happened? I'd like to be there."

They stopped at a red light and she looked at him. "Why don't you tell her?"

"Are you sure? I know how much this means to you."

She nodded once. "You're responsible for making sure we got the truth and you and she are already close. I think she'd prefer to hear it from you."

"Thank you," he said softly, an unaccustomed lump growing in his throat. His cheeks began to grow warm as their eyes stayed fixed on one another.

A horn behind them beeped, ending the moment. Beckett cleared her throat and turned her attention back to the road. They talked of nothing in particular the rest of the way to the Armstrong's house.

"So it was an accident? Our Susan died because of a stupid accident? It's not fair."

The elderly woman wept. Her husband patted her shoulder. Abbey looked dazed.

"Accidents that take our loved ones from us never are," Castle said.

"Maybe it's a little better this way," Beckett added, voice unsteady. "At least you know no one hurt her." She cleared her throat. "That doesn't make it any less painful now but in the long run it might make remembering what happened easier."

"You sound as if you have personal experience behind your words," Mr Armstrong said, a thoughtful expression in his sad blue eyes.

"I do," she said, facing him squarely. "My mother was murdered ten years ago. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about it."

The couple smiled sympathetically at her.

"Thank you, Detective," Abbey said solemnly.

"Thank Mr Castle. He's the one who figured out what happened."

Abbey launched herself into Castle's arms, nearly knocking him over. "Thank you," she said, barely audible over her tears.

Castle swallowed hard and hugged her. "You're very welcome," he whispered.

He watched as she removed the pictures and erased the white board. She didn't have to say she was relieved this case was over; it was evident in every line of her body.

"So, I know it's kind of early but you want to grab some lunch? I think we've earned a few hours off," Castle asked as she returned to her desk.

She checked her watch - her father's watch - and made a face. "It's barely eleven."

"I rushed through breakfast - did more talking than eating, and I'm starved."

"Me too but lunch can wait."

He made a pathetic puppy face at her. She'd have laughed if her heart wasn't pounding so hard. She walked around the desk and stood right in front of him, barely an inch away from his face. "There's something we need to finish first." Her eyes drifted down to his mouth, then back up again, noting he was doing the same to her.

Their lips touched and passion flared. This time they gave in to it, his hands slipping around her waist as hers slipped up his neck and twined in his hair. Their bodies pressed against one another and the kisses became more intense.

Someone cleared a throat nearby. "Am I interrupting something?" Esposito said.

Beckett broke the kiss only long enough to say, "Yes. Get lost." She didn't even open her eyes.

He grinned and backed away. "You two might want to get a room, you know."

They came up for air long after his footsteps had receded, Castle's grumbling stomach making them both laugh.

"Shall we go?" he asked, pushing her hair behind her ear on one side.

"Let's go to my place and order in. I'm enjoying my appetizer far too much to go sit in a restaurant now."

They didn't make it to the elevator. Somehow they ended up entwined again and stayed that way until another voice interrupted them.

"While I can't say as I'm surprised by this," Montgomery said, amusement in his voice, "I think you two should take the day off and find yourselves someplace else to do this before you end up breaking the law … in a police station of all places."

Beckett felt her already red cheeks grow hotter. "Yes sir."

Montgomery shook his head but smiled as he walked away.

"So, are you sure you want to go to your place? Mine is closer … " Castle asked with a smirk.

"Mine first. Then yours."

**~ The End ~**

**A/N: Thank you all for reading and for your wonderful comments throughout. I've really enjoyed sharing this story with you!**


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